1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bottles for use as drinking containers. More particularly, the drinking container of the invention is a single-piece, molded plastic bottle with an integrally molded handle having contours inside the handle opening and along the outside of the bottle that are shaped to approximately match the contours of the fingers of a hand when holding and using the bottle. In an alternative embodiment, the handle is attached to the bottle using a fluted arrangement so that it can be collapsed or extended, i.e., is connected to the bottle by an xe2x80x9caccordionxe2x80x9d structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plastic bottles used for drinking beverages, such as water, etc., are well known. They are typically molded as a single piece of plastic, e.g., a polyester or polycarbonate, using conventional injection molding techniques. However, there is a need for a bottle used for drinking beverages in which the handle opening and the sides of the bottle are contoured to match the shape of the hands, so that the bottle can be gripped firmly during use. In an alternative embodiment, the bottle has a handle that can be easily extended or collapsed, i.e., xe2x80x9caccordion-stylexe2x80x9d.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 337,947, issued to Lauter on Aug. 3, 1993, teaches a plastic container having an accordion spout. The container lacks a suitable handle that is shaped to match the inner contours of the hands when holding the container.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,710, issued to Hills on May 13, 1969, the handle includes a ribbed contour (see FIG. 4).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,384, issued to Vesborg on Feb. 25, 1986, teaches a container having an integral handle, used especially for detergents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,100, issued to Dirksing et al. on Oct. 10, 1989, teaches a bellows-shaped bottle that can be expanded or collapsed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,231, issued to Iodice on Jun. 14, 1994, teaches an adult personal care bottle having an integrally molded handle and a contoured outer surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,115, issued to Eiten on Nov. 10, 1998, U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,533, issued to Payne et al. on Jul. 27, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,920, issued to Lane et al. on May 1, 2001, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,792, issued to Skolnicki et al. on May 29, 2001, and U.S. Design Pat. No. 376,104, issued to Gerhart et al. on Dec. 3, 1996, all teach plastic bottles having various ribs and furrows integrally built along the sides of the containers.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a water bottle with an integrally molded handle solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention is directed to a bottle used for drinking fluids such as water or beverages. The bottle has surface contours and an integrally molded handle that correspond approximately with the contours of the fingers of a hand when the bottle is being held during use. The inner shape of the handle corresponds approximately to the outer contours of the fingers of the hand during use. The outer surface of the bottle includes several ribs and furrows that are shaped and sized approximately to the shape and size of the fingers and extend in the same approximate direction as the fingers. The overall size of the handle opening can be dimensioned to approximate the size of two, three or four closed fingers.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a plastic bottle for drinking liquids, such as water, in which the handle shape is contoured to approximately match the contours of the fingers of the hand during use of the bottle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a plastic bottle as described above, having a surface contour that approximately matches the contours of the fingers during use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a plastic, bottle as described, in which the handle is integrally attached to the bottle by a fluted arrangement and can be collapsed or extended, i.e., accordion-style.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.